Anybody up to get me THE bass-tone?

[Jan [MTW]]

Hey Guys,
I have a really hard time trying to get a good bass sound for the band I am recording at the moment. I just can't get a nice, gritty sound.
Maybe it's because the DI's suck or because i am bad at mixing bass.

The DI's are recorded with a Fender Jazz bass trough my Saffire Pro 24.

Here's the DI :
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11343186/EmpyraBass.wav

You can do everything to this. Just try to make it sound good!
Thank you!

 

[Williamn]

Post a backing track so we can hear in what context it should work

 

[Skyweaver]

see Ermin for his "Bass Valmorification Service"

 

[Ermz]

The DIs have a nasty midbass cloud and lack pick/finger/fret attack. Need to be played way more aggressively, and something done about the really loose lows.

The DIs are definitely a cause of your problem in this case.

 

[Jan [MTW]]

Post a backing track so we can hear in what context it should work

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11343186/Empyra A new beginning Mai3.mp3

thats the latest mix i rendered. But i already fixed many things!

see Ermin for his "Bass Valmorification Service"

Is it for free? I don't want to spend money for the band I'm recording, since it isn't mine!

 

[Jan [MTW]]

The DIs have a nasty midbass cloud and lack pick/finger/fret attack. Need to be played way more aggressively, and something done about the really loose lows.

The DIs are definitely a cause of your problem in this case.

Thanks! Good to know that. We already thought of recording it again!
So he just has to play more aggressively or are there other things i have to pay attention for?

 

[Ermz]

You need to clean up those lows as well. I'm not sure what's going on there but they're too boomy. Are the strings brand new... have you boosted the bass knob on the guitar... are you using a proper DI box? All these factors will contribute to 'das cloud™".

I'm not entirely positive but the pick attack character on the DIs sounds a bit poxy, so the bass might possibly have not great pickups? You may never be able to get a good grit from them - it's hard to say unless it's played more aggressively and you bring more of it out to hear properly.

 

[Jan [MTW]]

Year I think those pickups are not the best. Well... It's ja Jazz bass.
And the bass player doesn't want to change strings.
I don't own a DI-box, yet. It's all directly plugged into my Saffire Pro 24.

The bass player is so annoying. He acutally has also a metal bass but he doesn't want to use it because he thinks the new one is cooler.

 

[~BURNY~]

And the bass player doesn't want to change strings.

Punch him in the nuts until he agrees to do so.

 

[Jan [MTW]]

Punch him in the nuts until he agrees to do so.

Year it seems like that's the only solution.

 

[dan weapon]

Force him to change strings. Most essential part of bass tracking pretty much. It will sound soooo much better. I did that with a band recently and they were very grateful for it. Also get him to pick harder.

At the moment it does kinda sound like a bass track with a HPF at 150hz...

But yeah, I'd say retrack if you can

 

[LeSedna]

Ahaha @ "das cloud (tm)"

Well, if he doesn't even wanna change strings, don't seriously expect good tone out of his bass.

 

[Ermz]

Yeah, if he's not changing strings, you're not getting a good bass tone - it's about as simple as that.

 

[LeSedna]

Also :

effect of new bass strings :
http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/...o-new-bass-strings-change-your-song-clip.html
Effect of a good DIbox :
http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/...out-profire-2626-vs-countryman-type-85-a.html
Effect of a good bass :
obvious
Effect of a good player :
tremendous

 

[LeSedna]

The bass player is so annoying. He acutally has also a metal bass but he doesn't want to use it because he thinks the new one is cooler.

Seriously ? I mean, a jazzbass can work depending on the material, but if he has some sort of active modern-designed bass, he's just being stupid.

 

[Jan [MTW]]

Year, he's being very stupid. So I hope i can get him to put new string on his metalbass and use it.
Even if i have to force him! :Shedevil:

 

[smy1]

Tell him you'll program the bass with a VSTi instead

 

[tempe]

I really think new strings + fender jazz should do the trick, just get some heavy gauge d'darios and get him to pick like a man, also using more bridge than neck pickup can bring out the grind a little bit more, make sure he's picking closer to the bridge pickup as well. Playing where the strings are looser is a good way to get well a looser sounding recording.

Check the bass is set up well with a low enough action to get a little metallic buzz from the frets.

 

[Jan [MTW]]

Tell him you'll program the bass with a VSTi instead

The thing is that he wouldn't have a problem with that. But me

I really think new strings + fender jazz should do the trick, just get some heavy gauge d'darios and get him to pick like a man, also using more bridge than neck pickup can bring out the grind a little bit more, make sure he's picking closer to the bridge pickup as well. Playing where the strings are looser is a good way to get well a looser sounding recording.

Check the bass is set up well with a low enough action to get a little metallic buzz from the frets.

Thank's will try that!

 

[crillemannen]

"'das cloud™".

HAHAHA great man